Butrint Ancient Theatre

The ancient theatre at Butrint dates to the mid-3rd century BC, as established by a dedicatory inscription and 29 manumission texts on the western parodos. Built into the hillside between the Shrine of Asclepius and a Greek stoa, it seated approximately 1,500 spectators. The Romans significantly remodelled the complex, replacing the Greek stage building and constructing vaulted entrances. Excavations by Luigi Maria Ugolini from 1928 uncovered portrait heads of Augustus, Livia, and Agrippa, along with statues of Asclepius and Mercury. The lower cavea, orchestra, and parodoi remain well preserved today.